NEW COACH, NEW OUTLOOK, NEW SUPPORT

It’s been over 20 weeks now that I have been training with my new coach and it has been unbelievable.

I have never trained with such understanding before. I know exactly what I am doing and why I am doing it. I understand the rhythm work needed to run the longer reps and how to keep the intensity high even if I am feeling like I can’t do anymore. I have a whole new look on training that I have never been close to seeing before. I have a whole new love and enjoyment for training that I have never felt before. I am not counting down the days and feeling desperate to race like I have in the past, don’t get me wrong I am looking forward to competing and getting back out there on the big stage but for those who know me, will understand that this is a huge step for me and that it is normal to actually enjoy training!!

I have started to nut out my new season of racing in Australia. I really enjoy racing in Australia, I feel it’s a chance for all the public to come out and see the best athletics athletes in the country. Australians don’t normally get a chance to see their best athletes as we are always travelling and racing over seas, that’s why I love being out there and supporting the domestic season. I have already raced in my first competition in Canberra on the 7th February and it went according to plan. I competed in the 100m and 200m. I did a personal best in the 200m 22.97, this was the first time I have been under the 23-second barrier. I have been trying so hard for a few years now to crack that barrier and I have finally done it in my first comp of the season. I also ran my second fastest time in the 100m 11.16. It is a really nice feeling being back in amazing shape and I cant wait until I get back over seas and really test my self. We have decided to have a shorter season in Australia this year and only do a few competitions. My next competition will be in my home state in Brisbane, Queensland on the 7th March. I haven’t decided as yet what I’ll be competing in but I am down to do the 100m and 100m hurdles, it will be my first comp over the hurdles and as you can imagine I will be quite nervous for it but also very excited!

My main focus for this Australian season is to make sure I am strong enough to race well in the sprints and see what times I can do before heading into the Australian championships and win both the 100m and 100m hurdles titles again.

This season is very exciting for me as I have never been in such good shape before. The years that I won the World Championships and the Olympics I have never run this fast, I think that can give you an understanding as to how good this year is going to be. I am in a really good space at the moment and am going to work hard to keep the space that I am in by surrounding myself with the best team and friends and family that I could ever ask for, I am also making sure that I keep my body in the best shape possible by doing everything that is in my control, for example, I bought Two Ice Baths off ICool a few months ago so that I can keep it at my home and at my gym to do recovery whenever I need to. I find the benefits of ice bathing really rewarding, I am not sure whether the benefits are in my head or not, but I believe it in and it works for me. I feel I can back up for the next days training in much better shape rather than feeling a little sluggish if I haven’t ice bathed and I also feel that I don’t pull up sore in my muscles or my joints the next day, so if that is anything to go by then the Icool Ice Bath stays!

I have also teamed up with another sponsor; I think you may have heard of them, their called AUDI!! Oh my goodness! I have always my whole life wanted an Audi and now the lovely team at James Frizelle’s Automotive Group on the Gold Coast have been so generous in sponsoring me and giving me one of their Audi cars to drive around in and get myself to training in, in style!! And that model really sits well with me this season, if I am going to get around in style then I may as well win my races “In Style” so there you have it, I want to “Win In Style” this season and be the best athlete I can be!